The Beastman [3.5, PEACH]

Legend says that Obad-Hai himself taught the Way of the Beast to the tribes of the Karinthean Forest. Others of more pragmatic nature claim that the first techniques were developed from pre-existing druidic powers. Whatever the case, Beastmen are ferocious fighters, almost more animal than man. They are often equally fierce out of battle, following the example of the greatest barbarian- they live, they love, they slay, and they are content.

Adventures: Beastmen rarely leave their tribes, but those who do so often find themselves alienated from civilized life. Adventuring gives them a chance to find wealth and acceptance, and to test themselves in battle.

Characteristics: The Beastman is a surprisingly versatile class. They have the power and endurance to be front-line warriors, but depending on the animal forms they assume and the feats that they take, they can be just as serviceable as scouts, striking from the shadows and vanishing into a stealthy animal form.

Alignment: Almost always chaotic. Beastmen embrace their animal natures, and have little respect for the petty rules of men.

Religion: Beastmen are not necessarily religious. Many worship fierce nature deities, while others pay tribute to ancestral spirits, or even powerful fey.

Background: Most beastmen come from primitive barbarian tribes, living deep in the forests of steppes and only rarely coming in contact with civilization.

Races: Humans and savage humanoids are the most likely to be beastmen, although some wild elf tribes also practice the Way of the Beast.

Other Classes: Beastmen work well with barbarians, druids, rangers, and other classes who embrace the wilds. They sometimes come into conflict with monks and paladins, with their strict codes of conduct, but as a group they bear no special grudges. Individual tribes may distrust arcane spellcasters, for example, or see rogues as dishonorable weaklings.

Role: Beastmen are front-line warriors, with a healthy aptitude for scouting.

Game Rule Information:Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for a Beastman, as it drives his Wild Shape and Animalistic Resilience abilities. Constitution boosts his already impressive health, and Strength and Dexterity help him be an effective melee combatant in his base form.Starting Age: As barbarian.Starting Gold: As barbarian.HD: d12

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Beastmen are proficient with all simple weapons, and with the natural weapons of any form he might transform into. He is also proficient with light and medium armors (not shields). However, like druids, they cannot wear metal armor. A beastman who wears metal armor cannot use his Wild Shape ability.

Track- At first level, a beastman gains Track as a bonus feat.

Wild Empathy (Ex)- A beastman can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The beastman rolls 1d20 and adds his beastman level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the beastman and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A beastman can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check.

Claws (Ex)- At first level, a beastman gains a set of powerful claws. He gains two primary natural attacks, each dealing 1d6 damage. He can extend or retract them at will. When retracted, a DC20 spot check is necessary to notice their presence.

Wild Shape (Su)- At 2nd level, a beastman gains the ability to turn himself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to one-half his beastman level, rounded down. His options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the alternate form special ability, except as noted here.

Each use of the Wild Shape ability lasts for ten minutes times the beastmanís wisdom modifier. During that time, he can change directly from one animal form to another without spending additional uses of his Wild Shape ability; however, each change reduces the remaining duration of the usage by 10 minutes. Changing form is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

After the duration expires, he cannot use his Wild Shape ability again until he spends fifteen minutes meditating to rebalance his mental state. He can still fight in human form, and use other beastman abilities such as Trackless Step.

Any gear worn or carried by the beastman melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the beastman reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the beastman's feet.

The form chosen must be that of an animal the beastman is familiar with.

A beastman loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)

The new formís Hit Dice canít exceed the characterís beastman level.
A beastman can use his Wild Shape ability once/day at second level, and gains additional uses every second level after that.

At fifth level, he can transform into vermin as well as animals.

At tenth level, he can transform into Large or Tiny animals or vermin.

At fifteenth level, he can transform into Huge or Diminutive animals or vermin.

At twentieth level, he can transform into magical beasts. He does not gain any spell-like abilities the original creature might have possessed.

Improved Grab (Ex)- At third level, a beastman gains the Improved Grab ability while in his natural form. If he hits with a claw attack, he can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity or requiring an initial touch attack. This ability can be used against targets of the beastmanís size category or smaller.

Woodland Stride (Ex)- Starting at 3nd level, a beastman may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect his movement.

Bonus Feat- At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels, a beastman gains a bonus feat. These must be drawn from the Wild feats described in Complete Divine, Complete Adventurer, and other sources.

Trackless Step (Ex)- Starting at 5rd level, a beastman leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. He may choose to leave a trail if so desired.

Pounce (Ex)- At 6th, level, a beastman gains the pounce ability while in his natural form. When he makes a charge, he can follow up with a full attack.

Swift Tracker (Ex)- Beginning at 7th level, a beastman can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Fangs (Ex)- Beginning at 7th level, a beastman gains a powerful bite attack, dealing 1d8 damage. This is a secondary natural weapon. Like his claws, he can retract his fangs, requiring a DC 25 Spot check to notice their presence. Additionally, his claws now deal 1d8 damage each, and all his natural weapons count as magic for the purposes of overcoming damage resistance (including any he gains through Wild Shape).

Animalistic Resilience (Ex)- At 9th level, a beastman learns how to heal his own injuries. He can spend one use of his Wild Shape ability to gain fast healing equal to his wisdom modifier for a number of rounds equal to his class level. This can be done in both normal and animal forms. Activating this ability is a standard action.

Resistance to Transmutation (Ex)- At 11th level, a beastman has incredible control over his own form. He gains a +5 bonus to saves against any all transmutation spells.

Rend (Ex)- At 11th level, a beastman gains the Rend ability while in his natural form. If he hits with two claw attacks, he automatically deals extra damage equal to 1d6 + 1.5 times his strength modifier.

A Thousand Faces (Su)- At 13th level, a beastman gains the ability to change his appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell, but only while in his normal form. This affects his body but not his possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the his appearance, within the limits described for the spell.

Talons (Su)- At 13th level, a beastman gains a set of vicious talons on their feet. Like his claws and fangs, he can retract them, requiring a DC 30 Spot check to notice their presence. He gains an additional two secondary natural attacks, each dealing 1d6 damage. Additionally, his claws are even sharper than before, gaining a crit range of 19-20. (If he already has the Improved Critical feat for his claws, their crit range improves to 18-20).

Poison (Ex)- At 14th level, a beastmanís bite attack becomes poisonous. Anyone damaged by his bite must make a Fortitude save (DC equal to 10 + 1/2 beastman level plus his constitution modifier) or take 2d6 constitution damage, with another 2d6 damage one minute later. The secondary damage can be avoided by a second save.

Timeless Body (Ex)- After attaining 17th level, a beastman no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties him may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and he still dies of old age when his time is up.

Adamantine Claws (Su)- at 17th level, the beastmanís natural weapons are treated as being made of adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance. This includes his claws, fangs, talons, and any natural weapons he acquires through use of his Wild Shape ability.

Animalistic Might (Su)- At 18th level, a beastman can spend one of his daily Wild Shape uses to enlarge his current form by one size category as a standard action. Treat this as an Animal Growth spell with a range of personal and caster level equal to the beastmanís class level. He can activate this ability at the same time he activates a Wild Shape, taking one standard action to use both abilities and turn into an extra-large animal. All subsequent forms are also enlarged, unless he chooses to dismiss the effect (a free action).

Immunity to Transmutation (Ex)- at 19th level, a beastman has such perfect control over his own form that he becomes immune to transmutation spells. He can chose to suppress this ability so that beneficial spells still affect him, however.

Shapeshift Variant
Another version of the class, adjusted to use the Shapeshift variant from the Player's Handbook 2. Note that I made several minor modifications to the forms, so read carefully.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Beastmen are proficient with all simple weapons, and with the natural weapons of any form he might transform into. He is also proficient with light and medium armors (not shields). However, like druids, they cannot wear metal armor. If he wears metal armor, he may not shapeshift.

Shapeshift (Su)- You can shapeshift at will into powerful animal or nature-oriented forms. Each time you use this ability, you can choose the exact look that your shapeshifted form takes.

It requires only a swift action to shapeshift. If you are capable of taking more than one form, you can shapeshift directly between two forms without returning to your normal form. Thereís no limit to the number of times per day that you can change form, nor to the amount of time you can spend in a shapeshifted form.

You retain your normal Hit Dice, hit points, base attack bonuses, base save bonuses, skill ranks, and ability scores regardless of your form, although most forms provide some sort of ability boost. You also retain all extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part your new form does not have. Unless otherwise noted, you retain your size and space when you assume a new form. You always retain your type and subtype, regardless of the nature of the form assumed. You donít gain any special attacks or qualities while shapeshifted except as noted below.

All your held, carried, or worn gear melds into your new form and becomes nonfunctional until you return to your natural form (except for armor with the Wild special ability or similar items). You cannot speak in shapeshifted form, and your limbs lack the precision required to wield a weapon or perform tasks requiring fine manipulation. You canít cast spells or activate magic items while in Shapeshifted form, even if you have the Natural Spell feat or other ability that would allow you to cast spells while wild shaped.

You can take feats such as Improved Natural Attack or Wingover that you could only qualify for in shapeshifted form, although you only gain the benefits of said feat while in a form that qualifies for it.

If knocked unconscious or slain in shapeshifted form, you revert to your own form.

Predator Form- At 1st level, you gain the ability to shift into a wolf, panther, or similar creature. You gain a primary bite attack that deals d8 points of damage. You have the reach of a long creature of your size. You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to strength, your natural armor bonus improves by 4, and your base land speed becomes 50 ft.

At 4th level, you gain Spring Attack as a bonus feat in predator form, even if you donít meet the prerequisites.

Track- A beastman gains Track as a bonus feat.

Wild Empathy (Ex)- A beastman can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The beastman rolls 1d20 and adds his beastman level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.

To use wild empathy, the beastman and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

A beastman can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check.

Improved Grab- At 2nd level, a beastman gains the Improved Grab ability in all shapeshifted forms.

Magic Claws- At 3rd level, a beastmanís natural weapons count as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Woodland Stride (Ex)- Starting at 3nd level, a beastman may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect his movement.

Aerial Form- At 5th level, you can shapeshift into a flying creature, such as an eagle or bat. While in Aerial form, you gain a primary talon attack that deals d6 points of damage. You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength, Dexterity Reflex Saves, and natural armor. You also gain a fly speed of 60ft.

At 7th level, you gain Flyby Attack as a bonus feat while you are in aerial form.

Trackless Step (Ex)- Starting at 5rd level, a beastman leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. He may choose to leave a trail if so desired.

Pounce (Ex)- At 6th, level, a beastman gains the pounce ability. When he makes a charge, he can follow up with a full attack. He retains this ability in any form he might shapeshift into with a base speed of more than 40 ft.

Swift Tracker (Ex)- Beginning at 7th level, a beastman can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Ferocious Slayer Form- At 8th level, you can shapeshift into a large and fierce predatory form, such as a lion. Your size increases by one category and you have the reach of a long creature of your size. You gain a primary bite attack dealing 2d6 damage and two secondary claw attacks dealing d8 damage. You gain a +8 enhancement bonus to strength, a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 8. Your base land speed changes to 40 feet.

Animalistic Resilience (Ex)- At 9th level, a beastman learns how to heal his own injuries. He can tap into the power of nature to gain fast healing equal to his wisdom modifier (minimum 1) for a number of rounds equal to his class level. This can be done in both normal and animal forms. Activating this ability is a standard action, and it can be used a number of times per day equal to one-quarter of his beastman level plus his wisdom modifier.

Resistance to Transmutation (Ex)- At 11th level, a beastman has incredible control over his own form. He gains a +5 bonus to saves against any all transmutation spells.

Rend (Ex)- At 11th level, a beastman gains the Rend ability. If he hits with two claw attacks, he automatically deals extra damage equal to d6 + 1.5 times his strength modifier. This ability can be used in any form that has claw attacks.

Natureís Avenger Form- At 12th level, you can take the form of a massive animal, such as a dire bear or elephant. Your size increases by one category and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size. You gain a pair of primary slam or claw attacks (your choice) that deal 2d6 damage each. You gain a +12 enhancement bonus to strength and natural armor, and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude and Will Saves. Your base land speed becomes 20 ft, and you gain damage reduction 5/manufactured weapons.

At 14th level, you gain Improved Overrun as a bonus feat while in forest avenger form.

A Thousand Faces (Su)- At 13th level, a beastman gains the ability to change his appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell, but only while in his normal form. This affects the his body but not his possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the his appearance, within the limits described for the spell.

Poison (Ex)- At 14th level, a beastmanís bite attacks becomes poisonous. Anyone damaged by his bite must make a Fortitude save (DC equal to his beastman level plus his constitution modifier) or take 2d6 constitution damage, with another 2d6 damage one minute later. The secondary damage can be avoided by a second save. This ability can be used in any form with a bite attack.

Elemental Fury Form- At 16th level, you can shapeshift into a giant form of air, earth, fire, or water. Your size increases by two categories, and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size. You gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 3d6 damage each, a +16 bonus to strength and natural armor, and a +4 enhancement bonus to all saves. Your base land speed doesnít change, but you gain immunity to critical hits and energy damage corresponding to the type of elemental you become.

At 18th level, you gain Great Cleave as a bonus feat while in elemental fury form, even if you donít meet the normal prerequisites.

Timeless Body (Ex)- After attaining 17th level, a beastman no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties him may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the he still dies of old age when his time is up.

Adamantine Claws (Su)- At 17th level, the beastmanís natural weapons are treated as being made of adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance.

Immunity to Transmutation (Ex)- at 19th level, a beastman has such perfect control over his own form that he becomes immune to transmutation spells. He can chose to suppress this ability so that beneficial spells still affect him, however.

Animalistic Might (Su)- At 20th level, a beastman can enlarge his current form by one size category as a standard action. Treat this as an Animal Growth spell with a range of personal and caster level equal to the beastmanís class level. This ability can be used at will.

New Magic Items

Amulet of Mighty Fangs- This amulet grants an enhancement bonus of +1 to +5 on attack and damage rolls with unarmed attacks and natural weapons. IT REMAINS IN EFFECT IF THE BEARER CHANGES SHAPE, such as the druidís Wild Shape ability, or a polymorph spell.

Amulet of Mighty Hide- This amulet, usually crafted from bone or beast scales, toughens the wearerís body and flesh, giving him an enhancement bonus to his natural armor bonus of from +1 to +5, depending on the kind of amulet. IT REMAINS IN EFFECT IF THE BEARER CHANGES SHAPE, such as the druidís Wild Shape ability, or a polymorph spell.

New enhancementó Shifting- this enchantment was once used by the Lords of the Sundered Oak, a group of druids and beastmen who believed their ability to assume animal shape was the highest form of communion with nature. The order was wiped out long ago, but many pieces of their lore remain, among them this enchantment.

A weapon with the Shifting enchantment can be used even when the owner has changed shape, such as with the Wild Shape ability. Chose on primary natural weapon possessed by the new form. All enchantments and special materials of the Shifting Weapon are transferred to the natural weapon.

For example, a beastman with a +2 Shifting dagger made out of cold iron uses Wild Shape to transform into a dire wolf. His primary bite attack has a +2 enhancement bonus to attack and damage, and overcomes damage resistance as if it was a cold iron weapon.

Claw Sheathes - A skilled mage with a strong stomach can surround the bones that make up a creatureís natural weapons with metal, giving them a stronger and keener bite. The basic installation process costs 500 gold per natural weapon affected, and deals two points of constitution damage per sheath installed.

Claw Sheathes have to be carefully fitted to the creatureís natural weapons, and can only be used by the creature in its original form. They will change size, but not shape. Thus, a beastman equipped with claw sheathes who is affected by an Enlarge Person spell can continue to use the weapons, a beastman who uses his Wild Shape ability to turn into a bear cannot.

All sheathes are at least masterwork qualityóthe cost of a masterwork weapon is included in the installation price. They can be made out of special materials, obeying the pricing rules for weapons. They can also be enchanted, although any enchantments placed on them cost an additional 1,000 gold, due to the difficulty of making an enchantment work within a creatureís body.

UPDATE: A player in my regular campaign has been playing a Beastman for some time now, and I'd like to report that it's going great. It's a pretty high-power group-- the other characters are a crusader/paladin mashup, a beguiler, a sorcerer, and a favored soul-- but he's holding his own. I'd put the class right in the sweet spot of tier 3, in the "capable of doing many things quite competently" sense. He generally doesn't do quite as much damage as the others, but he always has a useful form to use, whether that means turning into a giant ant lion to burrow down to the buried temple or turning into a dire barracuda so the crusader can ride him into battle underwater. He's having a blast. So, basically... not too overpowered, scads of options, fun to play.

Last edited by Grod_The_Giant; 2013-07-14 at 02:00 PM.

Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant

Grod's Law: You cannot and should not balance bad mechanics by making them annoying to use